Park Hill Girls look to add aggressiveness to controlled offense

Park Hill Girls Basketball Coach Brian Rockers has a problem many coaches only wish they could have, a team fairly comfortable in running their offensive sets. So comfortable in fact, that Rockers sometimes thinks they’re not being aggressive enough in attacking the basket. While a patient and collected offense has led the Lady Trojans to an 8-3 record so far this season, Rockers thinks his team can be more aggressive when they have the ball.

“To a point we’re doing too much of it,” Rockers said. “We’re trying to instill these girls with that attack mode and getting the ball into the paint and to the basket.”

Their composure played to their advantage last week as they pulled out consecutive home game victories against Winnetonka on Thursday 42-28 and Lee’s Summit West on Friday 53-47. Both opponents featured teams focused on getting the ball to their post players, who had a size advantage over the Trojans. Winnetonka’s 6’1” center Ejehi Ehovuon presented an obstacle for the Trojans, but defensive efforts by Katy Plummer and Liza Hill along with an always present swarm of their teammates held her to just ten points. Park Hill’s Laura Bennett posted 12 points and Spenser Rhodus added eight in the victory.

“We tried to anticipate it and we knew they were going to throw a lot of lob passes to her,” Rockers said of guarding Ehovuon after Thursday night’s win over Winnetonka.

Both games involved a high amount of fouls, which led Park Hill to take advantage of their opportunities at the free throw line to seal their victories. Going 13 for 17 on free throws in the second half against Lee’s Summit West prevented the Titans from staging a fourth quarter comeback. Senior Emma Gossett’s standout play added to momentum for the Trojans as she seemed to be scrapping for almost every loose ball to occur. Not to mention, adding a three-pointer, drawing a charge, and pulling in several rebounds. Bennett continues to be the Trojans’ most consistent producer as she accounted for nine points. Helena Hudson and Plummer also added eight points a piece.

“I was very pleased with our balanced scoring for the game,” Rockers said. “Everyone that played had a part in this victory.”

Going into the Basehor-Linwood Tournament this week, the Lady Trojans will hope to gain the more aggressive attack their coach is looking for via the post with Plummer as Rockers continues to see improvement in her game.

“She’s making good moves and her time is going to come,” Rockers said. “She just can’t get anything to fall right now.”

After this week’s tournament, Park Hill will head into a crucial stretch where they will play William Chrisman, Oak Park, and then a highly anticipated rematch with Truman at home on January 29th. Truman defeated Park Hill earlier this year on the road, but a more confident Trojan team will look to come back strong as this game could play a role in the final conference standings.